


The Mad Blood is Stirring

by leviathanSlewfoot



Category: Gravity Falls, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Boyfriends, Childhood Friends, Developing Friendships, F/F, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Older Dipper Pines, Teenage Dipper Pines, Theft, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-05-09 05:33:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leviathanSlewfoot/pseuds/leviathanSlewfoot
Summary: I wrote this with Ms. Nerdyeverything, who spends most of their time on Wattpad.Two lovers, both alike in nobility,In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,From ancient friendship break to new love,Where civil words makes civil minds unclean.From forth the fatal loins of these two lovers,A pair of star-cross'd lovers make secret love;Whose misadventur'd piteous venturesDoth with their falls bury their friendship's strife.The fearful passage of their strife-mark'd love,And the diminishment of their parents' rage,Which, but their children's fall, nought could remove,Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;The which if you with patient ears attend,What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.





	1. Act One, Scene One

Our scene opens upon a bustling marketplace, where two young boys, both troublemakers at heart, ran from an old woman's stand.

"Get back here, you young lily-liver'd boys," she screeched at the top of her lungs, chasing after young Romeo Montague and Mercutio Escalus, who were seven and nine years old respectively, but acted together as one.

Together, they weaved through the crowd, splitting the Red Sea of nameless faces, jumping over barrels and dodging the endless numbers of carts, laughing maniacally as they went.

Finally, they lost the old wench. Romeo took the lead as he shouted to his companion carrying the bag of stolen goods, "Come quickly, to my house! We'll divulge our hidden secrets to my cousin, Benvolio! He'll know where to hide them!"

Mercutio grinned wildly, shaking his mop of blonde hair in triumph, as a lion does with his mane. "Benvolio?" He laughed. "His name is that of a pithy girl!"

Romeo stopped at the door of his home. "Benvolio would probably quote something at you. He does it to me all of the while!"

The nine year-old groaned. "What a bore! Come, Romeo, what with this Benvolio fellow? We need not share our secrets with anyone outside of our trust."

The brunette sighed. "Come, Mercutio! He is my cousin! His parents have only recently passed, and my parents wish for me to make him feel welcome!"

"We need not bother with any other boys! It's only us in this!"

"Mercutio!"

"Romeo!"

"Romeo, is that you? What is the quarrel here," a quiet young voice inquired. A small boy with freckles, curly brunette locks, and sea-green irises gazing out from behind his bangs peeked out from behind the doorway. He looked up at the taller boy of nobility. "Who are you?"

The older boy huffed. "I'm Mercutio Escalus! Man of prick and wit!"

Benvolio blushed. "What? Why are you of prick?"

Mercutio frowned. "Why wouldn't I be? You don't see a quiver of arrows on me, do you?"

Benvolio giggled. "Prick is a man's genitals."

Mercutio paused, then cackled like a hyena. "Of course I knew what it meant! I was simply leading you to this slaughter!" The blonde grabbed the back of the younger boy's neck, pulling him over, then placed him in a headlock, ruffling the Montague's locks.

The boy's eyes widened as he struggled. "Let me go, let me go!"

Mercutio grinned wolfishly at the pathetic whimperings of the omega pup. "No! Not until you tell me who I am!"

Benvolio stopped. "What?"

"It's that easy."

"... Mercutio?"

"No!"

Benvolio gasped in realization. "Mercutio Escalus, man of sword and wit," he shrieked as quickly as he could.

The blonde let the boy go, laughing. "There you go! Now you've got it!"

Benvolio pouted, fixing his hair. "You're just a thug, nothing more!"

Mercutio leaned down to his eye level. "But you're small, and that makes you weak!"

"You're stupid, and that makes you weak!"

Mercutio had to ponder, as, well, he had just lost to the short man.

Benvolio had crossed his arms, and his expression turned smug. He looked to Romeo. "Shall we go eat your treasures? I will happily take one from the man of no wit."

"You had luck on your side," Mercutio mumbled.

Rosaline Capulet, the intellectual jewel of the Capulet crown, was skipping past the trio of boys when she heard the magic word of 'treasures.' Usually, to her, this word brought to her mind thoughts of far away places and troves of books, but in this case, when she saw the bag on Mercutio's back, and smelled the sweet scent of pastries, she couldn't stop herself from poking her nose in.

"Hello, gentlemen," she greeted. "How are you this fair summer's morn?"

Romeo blushed, then hid his face behind his shirt. "Uh..."

Mercutio huffed. "Great," he mumbled, "it's the she-devil once again."

Rosaline glared. "At least I have the common sense not to jump into the town fountain just because the day grows hot."

Benvolio frowned. "Come now! That is not how you treat a lady!" He straightened his shirt. "Hello, Lady Rosaline. It is a fine day indeed."

The girl smiled gently, then curtsied. "Lord Benvolio, it is always a pleasure to greet you. What are you fine gentlemen carrying in that pack?"

Mercutio glared. "Nothing of your business, Capulet!"

"Mercutio!" Benvolio yelled at him, punching him in the shoulder. "She's our guest, you treat her with respect."

"Calm your person, Benvolio. I'm sure the LADY can handle some tomfoolery," Mercutio spit out. Everyone else just rolled their eyes. Mercutio passed by Benvolio, a little roughly, and headed inside of the Montague home, clearly annoyed. The others followed behind the eldest. Mercutio stormed up the stairs, and was quickly in Romeo's quarters. Benvolio followed closely behind, coming to apologize for seemingly nothing.

"Mercutio?" He asked tentatively.

"What," He spat.

"I just wanted to say that I am full of sorrow if I have managed to anger you in any way," Benvolio sincerely apologized. "I would like it if you'd know that I'm not like that most days." His apology was actually making Mercutio feel sorry for the kid.

"Um... it's in the past now, water under the bridge," he said, trying to still be cool while it was said. The two were under silence's spell while waiting for the others to join. Romeo and the lovely Rosaline walked into the room, Romeo's face a red mess.

"...And I really enjoyed that book, it delved into the topic of nothingness and the void, I would highly recommend it," Rosaline said, chatting up Romeo, who had yet to say much. Mercutio took one look at Romeo's face, and a devilish grin appeared in his face.

"O Romeo, how art thou?" He said with some snip.

"I-I'm w-well," he stated, stumbling over his words.

Mercutio looked to Benvolio, and found him trying to hide a grin.

"How was your walk, good Romeo?" Benvolio said, hopping on Mercutio's bandwagon. "I suspect it was well."

"I-I-Indeed. L-Lady Ro-Ro-Rosaline was t-telling me about a-a-a book s-she had read," Romeo stuttered out.

"I was indeed! I think you both might like it. It is about So-"

"Let's not go into detail," Mercutio interrupted. "We have more important matters to attend to," he grinned, gesturing to the bag. The four young kids sat on the floor of Romeo's quarters; Benvolio had sat tailor-fashion, Mercutio had his legs outspread, Romeo brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, and Rosaline sat down on her knees. Mercutio slowly opened the bag, and the smell hit all of their noses. He had first passed one to young Benvolio, then fair Rosealine and gentle Romeo, then lastly took one for himself. They all bit down into their sweet cakes, savouring the taste.

Once everybody had finished their first, Mercutio handed out another one to first himself, then Romeo and Rosealine, but as he reached into the bag for one more, he came up empty handed. He looked to Benvolio, chocolate on his face.

"Here," he said, splitting his sweet cake in half, and handing one half to the younger boy.

"Thank you," Benvolio said, nibbling on the cake to savor its flavor.

Suddenly, there was a knocking on Romeo's door. "Romeo! Are you in there with your cousin and your friend Mercutio?" 

Romeo panicked, looking up from the basket. "Uh, yes mother! What is it?" 

"Someone just told me that they saw a Capulet walk into this house with you! Is this true?" 

His blue eyes widened, and he quickly gestured to Rosaline to hide. 

Mercutio and Benvolio rushed her under the bed while Romeo distracted his mother.

"Um, no, mother, of course not! No Capulets here," he lied, his voice shaking a bit.

"May I come in?"

Romeo checked to see that the dark skinned Capulet girl was properly hidden, then turned back to his closed chamber door. "Yes, mother."

Romeo's mother walked in, the picture of Montague pride and grace.

Romeo stood up, dusting himself off. "Hello, mother."

Lady Montague nodded at her son, then smiled at the other boys. "Good morrow, boys," she greeted happily. "I just wanted to check up on you."

Benvolio nodded his head. "Thank you, Lady Montague."

The lady turned, about to leave, then paused. "Boys, do you know why we dislike the Capulets so much?"

Romeo paused as well. "No, mother."

"Well, the Capulets and the Montagues have been fighting for several generations, and it's only because of the prince- your kinsman, Mercutio,- that we've calmed down a bit. The one thing you must remember is that the Capulets were the ones to start it, but we'll be the ones to end it."

The boys looked at each other in confusion. They didn't know why the Montagues and the Capulets hated each other so much, and Lady Montague's explanation hadn't improved their understanding of the situation at all.

A small, almost inaudible sob was heard by the boys from under Romeo's bed.

Lady Montague sighed, not having heard it. "Well, anyway, that was it. Go back to your fun, boys." She walked out of Romeo's chambers after nodding at her son.

The moment she was gone, Benvolio swiftly crawled over to the bed and looked down at a softly weeping Rosaline.

"Rosaline? What's wrong?"

Said girl crawled out from under the bed, covered in dust. "I-I-I just d-don't understand! W-Why do our parents have to q-quarrel so? I know that not all Montagues are bad as my parents have told me, because I know you and Romeo, b-b-but what if I hadn't? Then I'd be just as b-b-bad as my brother T-Tybalt is, and he w-w-wants the h-head of ev'ry M-Montague! Lady Montague wants to kill all us Capulets, even th-though we're n-not all bad! Sh-She's going to kill us!"

Benvolio quickly hugged his only female friend. "It's okay, it's okay, she's not going to hurt any of you, Rosaline."

Romeo nodded, trying to help comfort her. "My mother says things like that all the time, but she never acts on any of her threats. It's not right, but at least she doesn't act on them."

Rosaline looked up, wiping her tears away as Benvolio pulled away. "You're right," she said, trying to compose herself, "I'm sorry for acting up about it."

Benvolio smiled, shaking his head. "It's fine. If you had just hidden your feelings, what good would that have done you?"

Mercutio pulled his younger friends into a group hug. "After all, now that you're done, we can find more treasures to steal! We'll be privateers!"

Rosaline giggled. "Alright, we'll be privateers!"

Romeo cheered. "Privateers!"

Benvolio just smiled, happy that his friends were as joyful as he was.


	2. Act One, Scene Two

"I'm the oldest, so you have to listen to me!" That was the enraged shout that escaped the twelve year old Mercutio Escalus' mouth.

"But, Mercutio," Romeo protested, "my plan is so much better than yours!"

Rosaline raised her brow, crossing her arms. "I disagree with both of your statements. I think we should vote for who's in charge. I, for one, nominate myself, as I am the most mature person in this group."

"Are not," the blonde twelve year old argued.

"Are so," Rosaline replied, smiling slyly. He had just proved her point with his childishness.

"She is in the right, I believe," Benvolio interjected quietly.

The dark skinned girl nodded at her best friend. "Thank you, good Benvolio. There, now, don't you see, Mercutio? I am much more capable of being a leader than you are. What do you think, Romeo?" she asked, looking at Benvolio's cousin, completely aware of his crush on her. She might have used it to her advantage.

Romeo blushed, quickly trying to think of what to say. "Oh, um, I... Yeah! Yeah, you're right!" He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

Rosaline smiled at Mercutio. "The people have spoken, Mercutio. Remember, privateers run as a democracy, so whatever the people say goes."

Said boy huffed. "But _I'm_ the oldest, and _I'm_ royalty!"

Benvolio shrugged. "Well, you always make the plan, Mercutio. Maybe we should let someone else make the plan this time."

Mercutio crossed his arms, flipping his obnoxious purple cape that he wore with his normal black, blue, and purple suit before doing so. "Fine. But it won't work. A _girl's_ plan never works, anyway."

Rosaline gasped, apparently deeply offended. "Oh, my! What an original insult! I've definitely never heard that one before!"

Mercutio made a weird face at her, deeply annoyed. He walked over to Benvolio, and stopped to stand next to him. He elbowed him in the ribs, but not too hard, he didn't want to hurt the poor boy. 

"Fine, let's let the girl do it," he barked.

Rosaline, a triumphant smile on her face, relished her victory for a moment, making Mercutio more and more annoyed. 

"Shall we then, boys?" She had asked to the rest of their small group. Mercutio did not give a nod, but rather followed Benvolio in their walk. He really was only here for Benvolio, he was the eldest, besides himself, in the group. Rosaline led them down the streets of Verona, and into the town square. She stopped in front of a building that pierced the sky, with tall pillars coating the outside.

"Really? The library? Of all the places we could have gone, you chose the library?" Mercutio scoffed, giving a dramatic eye roll.

Rosaline just shook her head. "It'll help us with our heist. Besides, learning could do you some good, Mercutio. You're about as educated as a lame dog, so come on," she squabbled.

They walked up the stone stairs, and through the giant doors. The smell of dust and ink filled their noses, and Mercutio grimaced. "I'm going to sneeze in here, and it's not going to be pretty," he mumbled, and Benvolio gave a small chuckle. 

"Stop being cowardly, Mercutio, live a little," Benvolio quipped.

Benvolio took a book off of a shelf, and sits down in a chair.

Mercutio sat in the one next to him, and the window illuminated Benvolio's book. "Grab a book and come sit," Benvolio ordered.

Mercutio sighed, and went to grab the smallest book in the library. He comes back a few seconds later, a small book in hand.

"You try so hard to not do anything," Benvolio snickered. 

Mercutio tried to read his book, not even paying attention to what it was about, but he just didn't want to. "This is boring. Who needs to read when we could just quarrel? Fighting solves everything."

Benvolio rolled his eyes. "Maybe you just need to find the right book, and not one about human bodies. Here, this one is about wars, seems like something that you would like. It has plenty of pictures, too."

"I have my doubts, but I shall try this book, I suppose," Mercutio complained, snatching the book from Benvolio's hands. He began his reading, looking at the pictures of ships, swords, and other weapons. He found himself actually enjoying the pictures and some of the words, too. He read all about executions, and bloody battles. "This is actually a good story." 

"It's not just a story, all those horrific events really did happen," Benvolio smiled. Little did Mercutio know, Benvolio had been watching him, seeing his eyes scan across the page, stopping at certain words he didn't quite understand, and asking Benvolio what they meant. He found the older boy's little quirks rather fascinating.

Rosaline returned to them about ten minutes later, with a large book and Romeo in tow. "I found what I came here seeking," she declared, gently setting the book on the table. "It took quite a bit of convincing the librarian, but she eventually let us have it." The book was titled _"The Outlaw's Handbook."_

"No wonder it took you so long," Benvolio whisper-shouted, "that book is banned in Vorona!"

The girl smiled, shrugging. "Everything is legal, noble Benvolio, as long as you don't get caught."

The boy wrung his hands. "I don't know about this, Rosaline," he whispered.

She patted his hands reassuringly. "Don't worry. Even if we do get caught, which we won't, we won't receive an actual punishment, as Mercutio is part of the royal family," she explained.

Romeo snapped out of his love-struck stupor. "Wait, what heist are we planning, anyway?"

Rosaline grinned. "I'm glad you asked, Romeo. We shall steal Prince Escalus' crown, even if we have to take it from the top of his very head!"

Mercutio's mouth twisted into a sadistic smirk. "Excellent idea, Lady Rosaline," he said. "My kinsman will be very surprised to find that his crown has been stolen!"

Rosaline blushed, but quickly slammed open the book to distract herself from the fact. "This particular chapter details how to steal objects from a person of significance. Whether the person is a prince like our victim, or a lowly duke, this chapter will tell us the secrets to stealing from them."

"Well, what does it say about the subject?" Mercutio asked.

"I don't know yet, Mercutio, I have to read it," Rosaline said, irritated.

"Sorry," Benvolio said for his older friend. "He didn't mean to be impatient."

The singular girl in their friend group sighed. "I would better appreciate the apology if it actually came from his lips, but thank you anyways, Benvolio. I will get to reading the chapter now."

Mercutio dug his face back into his book, reading about a gruesome tale of a hero with dead relations. His mind wandered while reading, and he found himself imagining himself as the hero for the death of his enemies. He was soon pulled out of his trance by Rosaline slamming the book closed. He became embarrassed from letting out a small yelp.

The others giggled, and his face flushed a light crimson.

"I seem to have found what I had been looking for, and I think we shall be good to initiate the heist," she grinned. She pulled to others in to tell them of her plan. "Mercutio, you know of your uncle's schedule, do you not?" 

"I do believe that he begins his lunch soon, within the next half." 

"Wonderful! Benvolio, you shall go with Mercutio and I into the Prince's quarters, and Romeo shall stay outside the door, keeping a watchful eye." 

"For what?" Romeo questioned.

"The prince, servants, other such nobility. If they come, alert us by knocking at the door, that way the person who comes will think you are just looking for the Prince. If our plan fails, we run like horses, every man for themselves. We must not be caught, and if we do, we blame it all on Mercutio." 

Mercutio interjected, "Why me?"

"You are a kinsman to the Prince, he will not punish you as fully as us," she stated.

Mercutio sighed, signifying an agreement. 

The trouble-making kids walked through the doors of the castle, and keep an eye out of any people who would tell on them. They make it up the staircase with no problems, but were greeted with a small child at the top. 

"Bubber?" The small boy asked, his babyish lisp on full show. 

"Valleytine!" Mercutio addressed his younger brother with a nickname.

He picked him up, and rested him on his hip. "What are you doing up?" 

"I had a tewwible dweam. Can you bwing me bwack to bwed?" He asked nicely, holding closely onto his older brother.

Mercutio gives a look to the group, and they give him a nod. 

"Okay, Valley, lets go get you tucked into bed."

"Will you wead me a stowy?" He asked, and Mercutio was given consent by the rest of his group. 

"How could I not for my special baby brother?" Mercutio proclaimed, carrying the child through the open door.

While Mercutio was busy with Valentine, the three other privateers went on to find the Prince's quarters. Romeo knew where they were, as he had been to the castle several times, having known Mercutio for the longest amount of time. Once they got there, Romeo remained outside the door, while Benvolio and Rosaline ventured inside the forbidden territory.

They quickly found the crown and stashed it into a bag that Rosaline had thought to bring, and dashed back outside.

Benvolio, Rosaline, and Romeo quickly found their way to Valentine's bedroom, where Mercutio was just tucking his slumbering brother in.

Romeo snickered at Mercutio's gentleness, so Benvolio sharply nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.

Mercutio glared at Romeo, then looked to Rosaline. "Did you get it?"

She nodded. "Yes, but now we must take our leave before we are discovered."

"Alright. Let us go then, privateers."

They absconded from the castle and made their way to the Montague's chambers. Once they got their, they brought their stolen goods to Romeo's room as they always did.

Once they got there, the children crowded around the bag, each trying to get a good glimpse of Prince Escalus' crown.

Mercutio took the crown from Rosaline's grip and shoved it onto his head.

"I think I look rather nice in a crown," he stated, striking a pose.

"It only inflates your ego," Benvolio quipped, glancing out of the window.

"Benvolio is not wrong, Mercutio. I mean, you've already got the dark purple cape that flutters in the wind as you walk. You just like being dramatic," Rosaline agreed.

"Well, I am rather fond of the cape, and I would say that Benvolio agrees," the blond boy shot back. He was looking for support from his friend, even though Benvolio did start it.

"Indeed," he said dismissively, not bothering to pay much attention.

He was in a daze, dreaming about Lord Shakespeare knows what. Freedom? Activities? Food? Love? Benvolio may have been young, but he was old at heart. His blue eyes stared at the equally blue sky, and his smile mimicked the shine of the sun's rays.

Mercutio was only sparing him a single glance, he swore. Then, he stared for a few moments more. Then more, and so on and so forth. Eventually, he had been staring at the younger boy for three full minutes.

Rosaline smirked, but for once, held her tongue. While she was very emotionally and intellectually mature, she did not yet understand the feelings that were between the two boys, and for that reason, she remained silent as she looked at Mercutio solemnly. All she knew was that there was something special there.


End file.
